John Gallas – England

John won the 2016 Poetry prize and is returning to Maelor for a second time in April 2018.

John Gallas was born and raised in Nelson and St Arnaud New Zealand. He came to England in the 1970s to study Old Icelandic, and stayed. He returns home for a part of each year. John has had ten collections published by Carcanet Press (no.11, ‘The Little Sublime Comedy’ out in June this year), and others by Cold Hub (NZ), Agraphia Press, Five Leaves, Magpie and Indigo Dreams. He lives in Markfield, Leics. after happily recently being made redundant from 25 years’ work with the Student Support Service. He is presently working on a series of Love Poems, and a treacherous tale of gold and murder in early 20th Century NZ. He is a fellow of the English Association, Poet at St Magnus Festival, Orkney. Librettist for two music-works, and an avid-casual bicyclist.